Lagunitas’ 22-ounce bottles are some of the best deals in craft beer

As faithful as the tides, eclipses and sunrises, we have Lagunitas Brewing’s 22-ounce bottles. Back in 1995, the Petaluma, Calif., brewery became one of the first to sell craft beer in large-format bottles. Today it is a standard. But Lagunitas contin

As faithful as the tides, eclipses and sunrises, we have Lagunitas Brewing’s 22-ounce bottles. Back in 1995, the Petaluma, Calif., brewery became one of the first to sell craft beer in large-format bottles. Today it is a standard. But Lagunitas contin

As faithful as the tides, eclipses and sunrises, we have Lagunitas Brewing’s 22-ounce bottles.

Back in 1995, the Petaluma, Calif., brewery became one of the first to sell craft beer in large-format bottles. Today it is a standard.

But Lagunitas continues to stand out in the 22-ounce crowd. The brewery’s “tallboys” are reliably full of bold, memorable beer in a range of styles that, best of all, cost in the neighborhood of $4.50 — about half the price of the average 22-ouncer. At most, the brewery wants to see the bottles priced at $5, said Karen Hamilton, who works in Lagunitas’ national marketing.

“Those bottles were Tony’s idea way back when,” Hamilton said of Lagunitas founder Tony Magee, who is also her brother. “When he started the brewery, one of his goals was to make really good beer at an affordable price so that everyone can have some.”

Lagunitas bottles seven beers in 22-ounce format per year, and they have several commonalities, namely richness, robust flavor and beefy alcohol content. Though not all are quite world class (what do you want for $4.50?), there isn’t a dud in the bunch and a few, like the Cappuccino Stout and Lucky 13, border on exceptional.

They can also function as a test ground. The brewery’s well-loved A Little Sumpin’ Wild — a large, boozy Belgian IPA — debuted in 22-ounce bottles before becoming a mainstay in six-packs.

One warning: Not all of its 22-ounce beers are available in all of the 30-plus states where Lagunitas is distributed. But as one of the nation’s fastest-growing breweries, Lagunitas rarely has a supply shortage, which means the 22-ouncers are not only cheap — they’re usually easy to find.

At least one other entity might be picking up on the idea. Trader Joe’s recently released its line of Boatswain beers — bold, strongly-hopped brews in 22-ounce bottles that cost just $1.99 each. Though an impressive deal, Boatswain mostly underscores the value of Lagunitas. For just a couple more dollars, you get markedly better beers, if not the best deal going in craft beer.

Hamilton, of course, is inclined to agree.

“You get your alcohol, you get your hops and you save a few pennies,” she said. “They sell very well — as you can imagine.”